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Humble Federer happy his game has endured

Darren Walton

Even Roger Federer once harboured self-doubts and the humble Swiss has expressed his relief at "living through a drastic generation change" to carve out a career of unrivalled longevity and excellence.

Federer will on Wednesday face Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in his 35th consecutive grand slam quarter-final, an amazing record that will surely stand the test of time.

But as he continues his quest for an unprecedented fifth Australian Open men's crown, Federer has revealed how he wasn't always so sure his graceful, old-school game would survive in the new age of power tennis and relentless baseliners.

"I came through in a generation where I was made to come to the net," Federer told AAP.

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"Because if I wasn't going to be at the net, the other guy was going to be at the net.

"When I started, I still played guys who volleyed extremely well back then, like Pat (Rafter) for instance or (Tim) Henman, Todd Martin.

"I played against many of those guys in the faster conditions so for me sometimes the only way to win points was to come to the net.

"For me, it felt very natural.

"Then obviously everything slowed down, the strings changed, the racquets changed a little bit and then I had to adapt as well to a new era, a new generation.

"Those guys started to bow out of the game and all the new players who came through were a lot of baseliners. There was a lot of topspin, there was a lot of physicality.

"So things changed and I'm happy that I was actually able to live through that drastic generation change as well.

"I was able to do both because I did grow up on outdoor clay and indoor supreme and that helped me to play as well in all conditions."

Incredibly, Federer has played a dozen different players in grand slam finals - and beaten 11 of them - starting with Mark Philippoussis at Wimbledon in 2003 and most recently Andy Murray at the All England Club last year.

As his challengers come and go, Federer keeps on keeping on and he credits Hewitt for sparking his phenomenal run.

Federer says his agonising five-set Davis Cup loss to Hewitt at Rod Laver Arena a decade ago was a major turning point.

Although he lost after serving for the match at two sets to love and 5-3, Federer said: "That was really the first time that I realised I could play Lleyton and play him from the baseline. That was his biggest strength."

"I know that's a bit crazy now, but I was literally able to dominate Lleyton for three sets.

"I thought if I can incorporate that with my attacking style and being dangerous and physical and mentally tough enough to take it with him for two, three, four hours, I think I'll have chances in the future against him, and actually be able to win some against him.

"Then I went on an incredible streak against him, not losing anymore (until Halle in 2010).

"That was also one of the matches that I had the most pain in terms of heart pain because it was such a tough loss.

"I would have loved to have won that match. But that was a big match for me in terms of giving me the belief."